Bullock County AlArchives History.....Black Residents in Bullock County with Martin Surname ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: John H. Adams johms@bellsouth.net July 02, 2008 Black Residents in Bullock County, AL, 1870, and their Possible Relationship to the Slaves of John Fears Martin The purpose of this study is to assist persons tracing their ancestors back through black families who lived in Bullock County, Alabama, in the latter part of the 19th Century. Documents related to the estate of John F. Martin identify slaves he owned in South Carolina and Alabama., some of whom adopted the Martin surname after the Civil war and resided in Bullock County. John F. Martin (1805-1847), a planter in Edgefield County South Carolina, began, in the 1830’s, to acquire land in the part of Macon County Alabama that would become Bullock County in 1867. He began to establish a plantation in the community that came to be named Sardis, and planned to move his entire farming operation there. Just weeks after selling out his South Carolina plantation, however, John F. Martin suddenly died. The 31 slaves on Martin’s Alabama land were sold at his estate auction in Sardis, in March, 1849. At least ten of these slaves were purchased by members of the Martin family or other residents of the Sardis community, and nine more by residents of nearby Union Springs. John F. Martin’s slaves who were still living in South Carolina when he died became entangled in the legal complexities of the estate there. The 1847 estate inventory named 8 slaves, but during the years 1848-1852, a county official hired out 11 Martin slaves. In 1853, John F. Martin’s son obtained a court order allowing him to take his father’s South Carolina slaves to Macon County, Alabama, where their sale was required in order to settle the estate. In the spring of 1853, 11 slaves from South Carolina were all purchased at auction at Tuskegee by members of the Martin family who resided in the Sardis community. Thus it is a reasonable possibility that about 30 former Martin slaves were still residents of Bullock County in 1865, and so also perhaps in 1870. Because it was common practice for freed slaves to take the surname of their former owners, blacks with the surname Martin living in Bullock County in 1870 might be traced back to their situation in the 1850’s, 1840’s and even earlier. To do so requires a comparison of individual names recorded as a part of John F. Martin’s estate with names of Bullock County’s black residents with the surname Martin on the 1870 census. In this study, no attempt has been made to trace the background of individuals who may have taken a different surname, because they ceased to be connected to the Martin family or to Bullock County. ______________________________ John F. Martin inherited a number of slaves from his uncle/adoptive father William Martin (1755- 1828). William’s will named all his slaves, but identified only three individuals as specific bequests to John F. Martin. He was, however, also to inherit all their descendants. From documents related to the administration of that will, it is possible to compile a list of slaves John F. Martin inherited. Many of these individuals were taken from Edgefield County, South Carolina to Macon County, Alabama, in the 1840’s, as John F. Martin began moving his farming operation and family to Alabama. Named in the will as specific bequests to John F. Martin were: Juda (or Jude, or Judah) “and her children and grandchildren” Absalom and Milley -- wife of Absalom, “and their increase.” The slaves in the following list were named in William Martin’s 1827 will, and could all be descendants of Absalom & Milley or Juda. All were apparently inherited by John F. Martin and owned by him at the time of his death, except those who may have died before 1847 : Pigge -- Perhaps Peggy taken to Alabama 1853. Isaac -- Taken to Alabama 1853. Patte-- Perhaps Pat in Alabama before 1849 Mary -- Phillis -- July -- Bob -- Taken to Alabama 1853 Peter -- Probably “Big Peter” in Alabama before 1849. Hanna -- Taken to Alabama before 1849 Major -- Taken to Alabama before 1849 Henry -- Taken to Alabama before 1849 Rebus -- Tom -- Pompey -- Amey -- Slaves sold at the John F. Martin estate sale in Sardis, Alabama, March 13, 1849 (29 ) Major* Negro Man Peter Little Peter Jerry* Simon * Henry* Anthony Jefferson Absalom & Milly* Jude Bob & Pat* Rebecca & Randal* Emeline* Ann* Hannah & child* Eliza* Tilman (William)* Lawrence* Abraham* Rose * with children Charles* & Erwin* Caroline Phillis* Moria * Some children were born between the estate appraisal in early 1848 and this sale over a year later-- Rebecca’s son Randal and Hannah’s un-named child are two. Those individuals marked with an * were purchased by residents of the Sardis area, including Union Springs. Slaves on the inventory of John F. Martin’s South Carolina estate 1847. (8) Bob Isaac Esney and child Winney and Frances Margarett Mack (motherless child) Slaves hired out by South Carolina estate administrator for 1848 (11) Robert Isaac Edna and child Winney Margaret Peg and 4 children For 1849 (11) Isaac Bob Edny and 2 children Peggy and 3 children Winney Margarett For 1850 (11) For one month in 1850 (10) Robert Bob Isaac Isaac Edny with Laura and Charles Edny & 2 children (no money taken) Peggy with Milly and Mack Peggy and child Francey Frances Winey (apparently she took sick) Winney Margarett Margarett For 1851 (11) Bob Isaac Margarett Peggy and child Mack Willis Winney Fanny Edny with Laura and Anto ( took sick) For 1852 (11 ) Bob Isaac Margarett Peggy and Mack Edny with Laura, Ann, and Mariah Fanny Winney In February of 1853, James F. Martin took to Macon County, Alabama--: (12) Bob Edny with Laura, Mariah & Anthony Winney Isaac Mack Fanny Peggy Margarett Willis When these South Carolina slaves were appraised for sale in Tuskegee, their ages were estimated, yielding estimated birth years as follows: Bob 1818 Isaac 1829 Fanny 1840 Peggy 1808 Willis 1844 Winney 1839 Mack 1846 Margaret 1835 Edny 1829 Laura [Edna’s children’s ages were not specified, but they Mariah were probably born between 1845 and 1852.] Anthony All these individuals were purchased by members of the Martin family residing in the Sardis community, except Anthony, who was too ill to stand for the auction. No document has been found indicating what happened to Anthony, or whether he recovered from his illness. After the Civil War and Emancipation, Bullock County was carved out of Macon and Pike Counties in 1867. Numerous black residents with the surname Martin are recorded on the 1870 census for Bullock County, in communities such as Bughall, Sardis, Greenwood, Midway, and the town of Union Springs, They are listed below, with indication of their possible roots among the slaves once owned by John F. Martin where that is applicable {Head of the household named first, with age and state where born; others in the household, as listed by the census, with age and state where born. Finally, the location within the county. Sardis is the community about 5 miles south of Union Springs where John F. Martin’s children and widow settled. Midway is in the southeastern part of the county. Enon is a district named for a celebrated plantation in the northeast part of the county. Greenwood, in the southwestern part of the county, was heavily populated by blacks after the war. Residents of Bughall, 6 to 10 miles southwest of Sardis, had many family ties to residents of Sardis.} Abraham 30 SC, Emily 28 AL, Ausea 6 AL, No Name 2 AL Sardis {Could possibly be Abraham of the 1849 sale, when described as “a small boy.” He would have been 9 at the time. No earlier link. Emily could possibly be Emaline of the 1849 sale, when described as “a small girl.” She would have been 7 at the time. Abraham and Emaline were bought by brothers James and W. A Martin who lived near each other in Sardis.} Alfred 21 AL, Frances 35? GA, Amanda 12 AL. Midway Amanda 25 AL, Alexander 12 Al, Anna 2 AL, Matilda 25 AL, Antony 18 AL Sardis {Although he was born in South Carolina, could possibly be Anthony who was too ill to be sold at the 1853 sale, He would have been an infant at the time. Anthony in the 1849 sale would be much older than 18 in 1870.} Anice 11 AL [in the household of Maurice Blackmon] Midway Cicero 23 AL , Lavinia 28 AL, Frank 20 AL, Thurman 14 AL. Greenwood Edna 35 AL, Jane 16 AL, Augustus 15 AL, George 13 AL , Babe 4 AL. Sardis Ella 26, AL [ in the household of Charity Jones] Union Springs Hettie 13 AL. [in the household of Amy Hough] Sardis Jackson 48 SC, Suey 46 AL, General 15 AL, Jane 10 AL, Lewis 9 AL, Reuben 4 AL, Mary 2/12 AL, Martha 2/12 AL. Midway John 24 AL, Scilla 40 AL, Georgia 10AL, Queen 4 AL, Lula 2 AL. Midway Mack 27 SC, Caroline 26 GA, Emily 8 AL Sardis {Almost certainly Mack who was identified as a “motherless child” in South Carolina, in 1847, and judged to be 7 years old in 1853, in Tuskegee. Resident of Sardis from 1853 to 1870. } Major 60 VA, Harriet 45 SC. Bughall {Almost certainly Major who was named in William Martin’s 1827 will, inherited by John F. Martin, taken to Alabama, and sold at the 1849 estate sale in Sardis, where he lived until emancipation. He continued to reside in Bullock County until 1870. Born about 1810, he was one of the oldest Martin slaves.} Margeret 27 GA [in the household of Andrew Jackson] Union Springs {Probably not Margaret from South Carolina, who would have been 8 to 10 years older.} Mariah 30 NC, Anderson 16 AL, Julia 14, Georgean 12 AL, Augustus 10 AL, Virginia 8 AL, Mollie 5 AL, Walter 2 AL. Sardis {Edna’s daughter Mariah was born in South Carolina and was probably still a teenager in 1870. } Martha 22 LA, William 21 SC, Jacob 22, William 28 SC. Midway {Either of these South Carolina Williams could be the William listed as Tilman on the 1849 sale in Sardis. From that sale he was taken to Union Springs.} Mary 40 AL, Jane 21 AL, George15 AL, Delia 12 AL, Cicero 7 AL, General 3 Al. Midway Mary 13 AL [ in the household of James Holloway] Greenwood Neil 22 AL, Patience 20 GA, Emanuel 3 AL. Union Springs Peyton 21 VA, Jiner 40 VA, Sandy 23 VA [ all in household of Pirmus King] Greenwood Phillip (female) 42 GA, Richard 22 AL, Rosa 19 AL, Rebecca 17 AL. Sardis Pleasant 23 AL [in county jail for horse stealing] Union Springs Randal 21 AL [in the household of Richmond Youngblood] Bruceville {Almost certainly Randal who was identified as Rebecca’s infant son at the 1849 sale. After that sale he and Rebecca were kept in Sardis. Randal remained in Bullock County until 1870. The fate of Rebecca is unknown.} Reuben 12 AL [in the household of Charles Turner] Midway Robert 50 SC , Malinda 30 AL, Vina 12 AL, Emily 8 AL, Catherine 1 Al Sardis {Almost certainly Robert (Bob) named in William Martin’s 1827 will, inherited by John F. Martin, taken to Tuskegee in 1853, taken to Sardis, where he is living next door to his former owner in 1870.} Simon 45 SC, Lucinda 43 SC, Squire 23 SC, Catherine 18 AL, Elda 16, AL, Joel 14 AL, Elvina 12 AL, Robert 10 AL, Mary 4 Al. Sardis {Almost certainly Simon at the 1849 estate sale in Sardis, where he was kept until emancipation, and where he resided until 1870.} Townley 35 GA, Charity 29 GA, Joanna 14 AL, Jefferson 12 AL, Nancy 10 AL, Wesley 8 AL, George 5 Al, Freeborn 2 AL. Enon ------------------------------------------------------- Compiled by John H. Adams Opelika, Alabama, 2008 2